


my scars run across my chest

by Dabberdees



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: But more about talking about it rather than having it in this story, Gen, Gender Dysphoria, I saw a headcanon on twitter and tumblr and went "oh. oh yes.", Trans Male Character, Trans!Graham, just want to make sure people are aware it's there, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:07:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26308297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dabberdees/pseuds/Dabberdees
Summary: The Doctor learns something about one of her friends, something that bridges them closer together.
Relationships: Thirteenth Doctor & Graham O'Brien, Yasmin Khan & Graham O'Brien
Comments: 13
Kudos: 89





	1. Chapter 1

"Help me lift Graham onto the bed, Ryan," The Doctor orders and Ryan nods, following exactly what she's doing without question. "How are you doing, Graham?" Graham groans in response, wincing as soon as he's laid down. "I need you to answer-"

"Hurts," Graham spits out through gritted teeth. "It bloody hurts, Doc, that's how I'm doing!"

"Ryan," The Doctor flicks her eyes to the panicked lad, frowning slightly before deciding to turn to Yaz instead. "Yaz, can you get me some pain relief from the cupboard to you left-" She turns away when the younger woman nods in understanding. "-right, Graham, as soon as we get some pain relief in you I'll need to take a look at your chest."

Graham swallows thickly, brows forced together from the pain in his chest. "Will it hurt?"

"No," The Doctor reassures, eyes flicking away to accept the pain relief from Yaz. "It's fast-acting."

"Do it then," Graham grunts out. "Quickly."

The Doctor wastes no time in administering the pain relief into Graham's system, throwing the syringe to the side when she's done. "You should be feeling better any moment now," Her face scrunches together. "Not better because you still took that kinetic blast to your chest, but better as in you don't feel it-"

Graham narrows his eyes at the Doctor before nodding when the pain instantly lessens to a more manageable amount. "It's working."

"See?" The Doctor flashes him a warm smile, and she awkwardly pats his forearm. "Told you it was fast-acting."

"Mhm," Graham murmurs in acknowledgement. "What now?"

The Doctor rests her hands on the bed frame, and she purses her lips into a thin line. "I need to check your internal organs for damage; ribs in case they're broken, nothing pleasant; I'm afraid," She frowns down at her friend. "What possessed you to take that blast?"

"Better me than them," Graham responds. "You said yourself that humans are hardier than those aliens were, thought it better."

"So, you threw yourself-" The Doctor sighs, cutting herself off. "-It doesn't matter, I need to check you over."

"How?" Yaz questions.

"X-Ray, sorta, not really, very complicated, but it's good," The Doctor rambles her sentence with a wave of her hand. "Picked it up when I wanted to check something I ate."

"Why am I not surprised at that?" Ryan mutters under his breath. His eyes remain locked on Graham's face, though. "Hang in there, gramps."

Graham flicks his eyes to Ryan and flashes him a weak smile before focusing back onto the Doctor once again. "Is it quick like the painkiller was, Doc?"

"Very quick," The Doctor smiles at her friend. "I'll just need to remove your shirt-"

"Do you have to?" Graham asks suddenly. "Can't you just scan me with it on?"

"Won't get an accurate reading, then, Graham, and I need to see the bruising," The Doctor informs him. "It won't hurt to remove your shirt if that's what you're worried about."

"That's not-" Graham begins, pausing when he looks at Ryan and Yaz. "Fine, but can it just be-" He inhales, hands twisting the cuffs of his shirt. "-me and you, Doc?"

Ryan's brows crease together. "We can stay-"

"I'd rather if it was just the Doc, son," Graham presses on. "I don't want you two to see me injured-"

"But you're injured now," Yaz points out. "The Doctor might need our-"

"I just want the Doc here," Graham interrupts Yaz, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Please."

The Doctor's eyes narrow slightly. "This won't take long, you two," She looks at Ryan and Yaz. "Go and make a cup of tea, you humans like making tea. I'll be fine, and Graham will be as well, I have all the good stuff in here."

"Are you sure?" Yaz asks. "Because we could help."

"Positive," The Doctor continues. "Graham will be fine."

Yaz nods, and she starts to make her way out of the medical bay, grabbing Ryan along the way and out of the doors. The Doctor waits a moment before turning to look at Graham. "They're gone now, Graham, what's the matter, why didn't you want them here?"

"Good," Graham mutters under his breath. "I don't want to explain to them, Doc, it's bad enough that you're going to find out," Graham looks up at the ceiling. "Don't ask, don't look at them, don't-" He looks back down at the Doctor. "Just let me tell you."

The Doctor watches her older friend, and she's concerned. "Let's get that shirt off you, shall we?"

"If you must."

The Doctor begins cutting the light blue checkered shirt away, taking care not to hurt Graham any more than he already is. She places the scissors down and flicks her eyes to Graham's face. "You doing all right, Graham?"

"Yeah," Graham replies through clenched teeth. "Just dandy."

The Doctor drags her eyes from his face as she starts to peel the shirt back, quirking an eyebrow when nothing seems weird. She expected tattoos or something if she's honest. The eyebrow lowers when she spots the purple bruising beginning to show on his sides and chest. She gently runs her hands across his chest to test the damage and sighing in relief when she feels nothing out of the ordinary. "Pudding brains, the lot of you are, that's all you have in that head of yours."

"What?" Graham frowns at her.

"You," The Doctor pokes a finger at Graham's face. "I said humans were hardier; I didn't say you were indestructible," She leans away, missing Graham's puzzled look. "X-Ray, treatment, and then I should have a shirt around here that you can wear." She frowns. "It probably belonged to Nardole or Jack or Rory or-"

"Doc," Graham interjects. "You didn't-"

"It won't take long, Graham," The Doctor smiles at him. "Treatment and a shirt, then a nice cup of tea and a plate of biscuits, you're favourite, the Jam Creams-"

Graham shuffles himself on the bed, glancing down and looking at the scars, faded, but noticeable on his chest. "But you-"

"What, Graham?" The Doctor glances towards him while she's riffling through a cupboard.

"You never asked."

"Never asked what?"

"The scars," Graham murmurs. "People, when they see them, they ask, and you didn't."

The Doctor's hands pause on a collection of medicinal bottles. "I have no reason to ask, Graham, I know what they are," She glances back towards her friend.

"I just thought," Graham frowns. "Well, I dunno, people can't help themselves sometimes."

"Did you want me to ask about them?"

"No, god no," Graham shakes his head. "But I-" His brows furrow together. "-I never was very good at telling people 'cos you kinda kept this to yourself," He focuses back onto the Doctor's face. "Grace knew because she had my charts and the tablets I was on, Ryan doesn't, not that he'd care, good lad, that boy is, but it's hard to tell people, you know?"

"So, that's why you wanted them gone," The Doctor realises as she gathers the needed medicines.

Graham nods. "I figured Ryan might think nothing of it 'cos I was on a lot of tablets anyway, and it's scars, I have them, but Yaz, well she probably would know, or she'll at least figure it out and I'd rather she didn't because I don't know what she'd think."

"Yaz wouldn't have an issue, Graham."

"I know that," Graham frowns at the Doctor. "She's a good kid, but it's still something so personal to me and only me. I don't want her thinking 'bout me in a different way 'cos to her; I'm just a bloke."

"You're still just a bloke."

"Yeah, but a trans-bloke," Graham points out. "It's different when people know; they look at you in another way, and you know they want to ask questions."

"I don't think of you as different."

"Course you don't," Graham mutters. "You know, I thought you were just messing around before about being a guy, then that Master bloke confirmed it and I dunno, I was surprised that you weren't messin' around and stuff."

The Doctor tilts her head to the side, brows furrowing slightly. "It's different for Time Lords."

"Ain't it just," Graham remarks. "Ryan mentioned you said you were a white-haired Scotsman, now look at you, a small woman from Yorkshire-"

"I'm not small!"

"I'm taller than you."

"By a couple of inches."

"Swings and roundabouts, still taller," Graham replies proudly. "Kinda glad if I'm honest 'cos, well, nah it doesn't matter, forget about it."

"What doesn't?" Graham mumbles in response, quiet enough that even the Doctor can't quite hear what he's saying. "Graham?"

"Height, Doc," Graham says louder. "Big thing for me."

The Doctor settles herself on the bed next to Graham. "How come?"

"Aren't you meant to be checking me over and stuff?"

"Oh, right!" The Doctor jumps from the bed and gathers up the items from before. She begins the process of scanning Graham's chest. "You don't have to answer if you really don't want to."

Graham ponders over her statement for a moment before sighing. "I guess I just hated being 'round blokes that were taller than me 'cos I'm not the tallest, hell I know some women who are taller, I don't know, it just makes me aware somedays and I don't like it."

The Doctor's expression flashes to concerned for a moment. "I mentioned it-"

Graham quirks his brows inwards. "What?"

"I said by a couple of inches-"

"Oh," Graham's eyes widen. "Oh no, Doc, no that's fine, seriously, you did nout wrong then, all right?"

The Doctor nods, relieved to find out that she never put her foot in it. "Is this why you never took off your t-shirt when we went rain bathing on Kinstarno?"

"Yeah," Graham snorts. "Feel a lot more comfortable like that, especially around people who don't know."

The Doctor finishes her scan and checks it over. "Good news, Graham," She looks him in the eye. "You just have bruising, bed rest and painkillers, that's all you need."

"Great," Graham sighs with relief. "Can I get that shirt now?"

The Doctor places down her equipment and heads off to find something that will fit Graham. "There were days that you didn't feel like doing much-" She glances towards him. "-how come?"

Graham gestures with his hands. "Some days are easier than others if I'm honest, thankfully I'm mainly passed all that-" He waves his hand. "-stuff, things I didn't like, but there are days where it sorta comes crashing down, and I'd rather just stay in my room and do nothing."

"We thought you were just being grumpy."

"You three didn't know why," Graham reassures. "Cos I didn't explain what I was feeling," He gladly accepts the shirt when it's offered to him. "Grace was good on those days; she let me have my space, guess that's why I love her 'cos she never thought of me as less than a man, and it didn't bother her that I don't have everything one does," He pulls the shirt on with a grimace. "And it doesn't usually bother me all that much, 'cos my chest was the worst, it only really mattered during it all."

"During it?"

Graham stares at the Doctor and rolls his eyes before babbling in a hurried speech. "Remember that time I pulled out a sanitary product from my pocket 'cos you needed it to plug that alien's wound, and you all looked at me like I was odd for carrying it, well Ryan did, Yaz just looked impressed, maybe she thought I packed them like I packed sandwiches and plasters, anyway-" He takes a deep breath. "-when you go through a monthly cycle you learn to carry them on you, and I never did unlearn that habit."

"Oh!" The Doctor catches on to what Graham is saying. "I understand!"

"You do?"

The Doctor nods. "One hundred per cent, Graham."

"Good," Graham exhales. "God, I hated them, honestly, reaching my fifties was a godsend 'cos it was simply a matter of counting them down and, you know, touch wood-" He taps his head. "-it's over now, and I never have to deal with that again."

The Doctor pulls herself back onto the bed next to Graham once again. She swings her legs back and forth like a toddler on a sugar high. "The Master," She begins, and Graham looks at her puzzled. "Not sure where they are right now, but they regenerated like me," She shrugs. "Went by Missy."

"Oh," Graham blinks at her. "So, it's something all of your kind can do then?"

The Doctor presses her lips into a thin line. "We're flexible, more so than humans on gender norms."

"Yeah, probably," Graham agrees with a light chuckle. "I had to move around a lot, Doc," He stares ahead and fiddles with the oversized sleeves. "It took me a long time to realise what my issue was," His eyes return to his lap. "I've tried different labels over the years 'cos I thought maybe I was a gay woman, but it wasn't that 'cos I never did feel, uh, it's hard to say, but it just wasn't me-"

"It's okay, Graham," The Doctor says. "If you're uncomfortable you don't have to tell me."

Graham nods. "Good, glad for that," He breathes out. "Anyway, to cut a long story short, it was when I was in my mid-thirties that I figured it all out and then it was a couple of years later before I got my first shot," He flashes a quick smile. "Would never go back and I don't know where I would be if I didn't figure it out."

"That's ifs, Graham," The Doctor replies. "You figured it out, and you're who you were always born as," Graham quirks an eyebrow at her. "What?"

"Dunno, didn't expect you to say much, mind you, I wasn't really looking for you to say anything, you know? Just looking for a conversation really," He states. "Still, it was nice to tell you I suppose, better for someone to know why I might not want to do certain things."

"I won't say anything, Graham."

"I know," Graham nods at her. "Hey, remember Kerblam!?"

"Yeah?"

"You know that device that I had to stand in?" Graham asks, and the Doctor nods. "Did you ever wonder why I looked put off by it?"

"Well, I thought-" The Doctor shakes her head after a moment. "-I thought nothing about it really, I didn't notice."

"Not surprised by that, Doc, anyway, the reason I looked weirded out by it was 'cos I was dreading that it would show things about myself or that woman, Judy, would say something about stuff not matching up-"

"It was the future, Graham," The Doctor says. "The future is many things, but by that time it wasn't as big of a deal as it is in your time," She explains. "Judy would've seen the readings, looked at them and said what the machine told her, male, late fifties."

"Oh," Graham blinks. "I didn't think about it like that," He frowns for a moment. "Is the, uh, transition different? Not that I want to go to the future 'cos I'm happy the way I am, and that's okay, but I am curious and all."

"There's less stigma, Graham," The Doctor reveals. "It's easier in the future."

"That's good," Graham smiles with genuine relief. "Guess we kinda pathed the way for it and all."

"Yeah," The Doctor smiles at him. "For all your faults during your time they never last-"

"But Krasko-"

"A small and very vocal minority, Graham," The Doctor interjects. "Small-minded and hate filled, but small none the less."

"I think Ryan would call them trolls or whatever that means," Graham concludes. "Idiots basically," He chuckles lightly. "Speaking about them, they're probably wondering where we got to."

"Oh, right," The Doctor nods. "You did kinda kick them out of here."

"Yeah," Graham rubs the back of his neck. "I'll tell them at some point, but not now, not after what happened because I'm a little bit uncomfortable if I'm honest."

"Do you want to be alone?"

"Nah," Graham shakes his head. "But maybe we can watch a film or something while I sit in my duvet with a hoody on?"

"A hoody?"

"Yup," Graham nods. "Loose clothing helped a lot, Doc, still see it as a comfort now if I'm honest."

The Doctor hops from the bed and flashes a brief smile at Graham. "A film, hoodies, and biscuits," She helps the older human down. "Sounds like a brilliant evening in the making."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Gender dysphoria and a bit of panic about it

Ah, that look of sudden panic, the rapid searching of pockets, the panic slowly morphing into realisation, the looking around in the hope that that will help.

It never does.

Well, that would be the case if Yaz didn't just lock her eyes on Graham. He watches her shift on her feet before he spots her ready herself with an intake of breath.

The walk over to him is brisk and at pace and Graham already has his hand in his pocket by the time she gets over to him.

"Don't need to say anything," He states as he hands it over without missing a beat and as discretely as possible. "I know, cockle."

Yaz, for the most part, looks baffled by it, but she nods her thanks and rushes away for the nearest public toilet.

In some respect, it's lucky they're only in the past, the early nineties. There's plenty of toilets and shops around, but it's not like they have the correct type of cash anymore, so Yaz turning up to buy something just wouldn't have worked. The poor cashier would have assumed the strange fiver is something else.

Like monopoly money or something.

Graham waits for Yaz; she knows where he last was, and from his position, he can see where Ryan and the Doctor are heading. Sure enough, he spots her heading his way again with a look of relief on her face.

"All sorted, Yaz?"

"Uh, yeah," Yaz rubs the back of her neck. "How did you know I needed something like that, Graham?"

Graham presses his lips together into a thin line. "Lucky guess," He lies as he gestures towards the direction that Ryan and the Doctor went in. "I just carry them on me," Yaz's brows furrow in thought and he can see the questions forming on her lips. "Lucky I do, right?"

Yaz nods, mouth closing as she walks in step with the older man. It's only a couple of seconds before it opens again. "But you said, you knew, Graham."

Graham's eyes flick away, and he taps his left hand nervously against his side. "Did I?"

"Yeah," Yaz nods at him. "How come?"

"Had a girlfriend, well more than one over the years," Graham shrugs because it isn't a lie, it's the truth. He's had many girlfriends and boyfriends, but it is a twist on the truth because the items in questions weren't just for them, but him as well. "Carried them 'cos that's what good boyfriends do, right?"

"Even now?"

"Is this twenty questions, Yaz?" Graham turns to her, and there's a slight snappish tone to him. "Does it matter why I carry them?"

"Well, no," Yaz frowns at him, and he knows she only wants to know. "I guess my dad doesn't, and Ryan doesn't, neither did Danny-"

"Who's Danny?"

"No one important, Graham, really, the less said about him, the better," Yaz shakes her head. "It's just not something common."

"No, it isn't," Graham admits before stopping altogether and staring at the younger woman. "Most men don't think twice about it, but they should 'cos it's normal."

"But you do, enough to bring pads with you."

Is this getting too close to the truth? He can't tell people, but Yaz is smart, she could figure it out, and then he would never have to tell her, would he? She would just know, and that would be fine because Yaz is a good person.

"I'm not like your dad or Ryan or whoever that Danny lad was," Graham decides to say. "Now, speaking of Ryan, I watched him, and the Doc go around this corner, come on, cockle, they shouldn't have gone that far now."

"Yeah," Yaz frowns at his back, confused. "I guess."

Graham takes that as his cue to power walk away from the young woman, but frustratingly enough Yaz can easily match his pace even if he does have longer legs than her. He's still the second tallest out of their little family.

Thankfully, she doesn't speak or ask questions, but that doesn't mean he doesn't catch her glancing his way every now and then like she wants to ask, her mouth opening and closing each time.

And that's enough to make him stop completely still like he just walked into an invisible brick wall.

"Watch it, mate," A disgruntled man exclaims from behind him. Graham side-eyes him when he shoves him aside and into the nearby wall. "Fancy stopping in the middle of the pavement like an idiot when people are walking-"

"Oi," Yaz glares at the man. "You should've been paying attention to what was in front of you."

"He just stopped, didn't expect him to just stop like a prat, did I?"

Yaz walks between them, and Graham can easily picture her metaphorical police hat slipping onto her head as she does. "It was an accident, just move on, sir," The use of sir is said with the least amount of respect she can muster.

"I'm busy anyway," The man turns and stalks away, turning once to make an unpleasant gesture with his hand at Graham.

"Lovely," Yaz rolls her eyes as she turns and faces the older man. "You all right, Graham?"

"Yeah, fine, my fault," He shrugs. "It's the nineties, people are idiots, I didn't like them and was glad for the two-thousands if I'm honest," Graham speaks, feeling suddenly very nervous all of a sudden. "Did the Doc say what year it is, Yaz?" He asks as he steps from the path and into a nearby alleyway.

Yaz follows after the older man with concern on her face. "She said it was nineteen ninety-Four."

"Okay, a year off before I realised, then a few years off before I got my first-" Graham murmurs, leaning back against the wall. "I-" He breathes quickly. "Okay, so I think I might be having a little moment right about now-"

Yaz's eyes widen, and she's hovering by his side in an instant. She doesn't touch him, but she watches as his hands grip at his jacket sleeves. "Can you answer some questions for me, Graham?"

"Depends on what they are, 'cos I'm not answering questions about period products again," Graham grunts out. 

"It's not, I promise."

"Then go on ahead, Yaz."

"I'm not going to leave you alone while you're having a-" Yaz's voice trails away towards the end. "What did you have for breakfast?"

"What?"

"Come on, Graham," Yaz forces a smile on her face. "What did you have?"

"Cereal."

"And?" Yaz asks pointedly. "You had more than just cereal, you always do."

Graham stares at her as he slides down the wall so he can sit on the floor, his knees protest the move, but he hardly cares about them. "Toast, a cup of tea, stole a breakfast bar as well for the trip, ate that already, though."

Yaz settles herself next to the man she might as well consider her grandad. She looks at him good and proper, and can only feel troubled for him. "I'm gonna sit with you, all right? We don't have to talk."

Graham hums and rests his head back against the wall as his eyes screw shut. Where was he right about now? Essex, he thinks, yeah, he went back there just after his mother got sick. Stayed until she passed in two-thousand.

At least she knew about everything and accepted him, even helped him pick his name and put in the paperwork to make it official.

"Yaz."

"Yeah?"

Graham looks down at his hands, frowning at them as they wring together. He's met many other trans people over the years, and for once he feels lucky he inherited his dad's hands, good workman hands they are, nice and big, not slender and sleek like the Doc's or Yaz's, good sized. They were never really his issue, unlike some of the friends he made, but he's sure if he had smaller hands they would've been.

"I need to tell you something."

Yaz's eyes widen by a fraction. "Is this about that guy?"

"No," Graham shakes his head but keeps his eyes locked on his hands. "Nothing special 'bout that prat," He mumbles. "It's about why I stopped all of a sudden, I realised something, and I didn't like it, that's all."

"What did you realise?" Yaz voices her question. "You were all right before we left the TARDIS."

"Yeah, I was, but sometimes things just happen that hit you in the chest, literally in my case, and you can't really stop it," Graham explains quietly before taking a deep breath. "Gender dysphoria is like that; it comes in waves when you least expect it," Yaz's head snaps to Graham in a flash, and he meets her eyes. "Didn't expect that, did you?"

Yaz is speechless, she's not the best with words or telling her feelings, and Graham just dropped something big into her lap, she needs time to think and process it before saying the first thing that enters into her mind.

Graham, on the other hand, begins to panic from her lack of a reaction. "I shouldn't have said anything-"

"No, Graham, stop," Yaz finally speaks. "I wasn't expecting that at all, caught me off guard."

"Caught my mum and dad off guard as well," Graham forces a chuckle. "Thought they had a daughter for thirty-plus years, but it turned out they always had a son who took a long time to realise who he was."

"Is that why you kicked us from the medical bay a couple of weeks ago?" Yaz probes, brows furrowed together. "The Doctor said she needed to X-Ray your chest."

Graham nods and smiles briefly. "You and Ryan would've seen my scars, not sure if Ryan would've put two and two together, but you would've considering you knew the moment I said dysphoria."

"Yeah," Yaz nods. "Ryan might've known, Graham."

"Hmm?"

"Ryan uses Twitter and Instagram; we follow each other, and I know he speaks to his gaming mates on it, because it clogs up my timeline," Yaz smiles in fondness. "He talks to a lad on it, even retweeted a post about raising some money for his top surgery."

"Oh, I never knew," Graham blinks, hands relaxing somewhat. "I wasn't planning on telling you, but you were asking questions about why I bring that stuff with me."

Yaz winces and looks away. "I was digging into your personal life," She murmurs. "I didn't make you think you had to tell me, did I?"

"Course not, cockle," Graham reassures with a kind look. "I was meant to tell you two at some point 'cos the Doc knows, and Grace knew-"

"Grace knew?"

Graham can't help but roll his eyes at Yaz. "I married her, Yaz," He reminds. "We did things together, and more importantly, she was my nurse during chemo, she saw the tablets I was on and knew there and then that I'm trans."

"Ah," Yaz's lips press into a thin line. "Sorry."

"It's fine," Graham waves it off with his left hand. "My dad knew, so did my mum, they really helped me actually, thought my dad would have an issue, but he didn't," He explains with a sad smile. "I think they were just happy seeing me happy for once and not so lost in myself if you get what I mean."

"I think I do," Yaz nods, her eyes flicking away. "More than you might expect."

Graham flicks his eyes to her face, but decides not to press her for information. "Course, it was the nineties, and this country is, and excuse the language here, pretty shit in regards to all of this," Graham sighs loudly. "Had to go somewhere else to, you know," He feels slightly awkward as he gestures towards his chest. "Dad sorted it out, paid for it."

"You're brave, Graham," Yaz says, meaning every word behind it. "For telling me, for everything."

"I'm brave?"

"Braver than you know," Yaz nudges him in the arm. "Do you want to go and find the Doctor and Ryan or shall we stay sitting in this alleyway?"

Graham chuckles and pulls himself upwards with a grunt. "Let's go and find them 'cos lord knows without us around they could be getting into all sorts."

Yaz smiles at that and then links her arm through Graham's, pulling him from the alleyway and into the sunny nineties air.

"Spose it's only fair that I tell Ryan next," Graham decides, feeling nervous about it. "I don't want him seeing me differently."

"You're his grandad," Yaz reminds him. "He'd never see you differently; Grace raised him, and she never thought differently about you, did she?"

"Yeah, you're a bright young woman, Yaz, your parents should be proud of you 'cos I know I am," Graham says with absolute faith. "And I mean every single word of that."

"Thank you, Graham," Yaz feels the tightness in her throat from the message. "That means a lot."

Graham nods because he can see that they are both getting a little bit teary-eyed. "You know," She looks towards him with all of her focus. "The moment Ryan called me grandad," He looks at her, eyes filled with a sheen. "That was the best validation I've had since my dad called me son for the first time."

**Author's Note:**

> okay so the HC was Graham - Trans+Bisexual and I went "Yes."


End file.
